Noisy free hub

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Tin Pot

Guru
Whats the best way to address a noisy free hub?

Buy another hub or mess about with it pulling out bits of the hub and adjusting tension?

It might be in my head but it seemed a lot louder after I got it services a year or so back.

Now it's really irritating me. :angry:

It's Miche Reflex front and rear, Campag Veloce set up.
 
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Levo-Lon

Guru
If its the sort you can take off and expose the pawls you can simply apply grease..it will be silent.
dont use a heavy grease tho...or mix a bit of oil with it to thin it down if you only have lm multi type greas..
if its the bearing? You might get away with a clean and re grease or its a new one..
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
In my experience you can quieten it down by a clean and regrease/reoil but it's a temporary solution. I'd order a
replacement now to have it at hand when it goes proper i.e starts slipping when giving it some welly uphill.
 

bianchi1

Legendary Member
Location
malverns
Don't add grease to the inside! The little pawls are meant to move freely and are only pushed by tiny springs. Any resistance may mean get stuck. When you stop pedalling the last thing you want is your cassette to keep spinning throwing your chain into your rear wheel.

What is the noise you are having problems with. I've had several mavic wheels that have started screaming when freewheeling. Replacement plastic sleeve thing sorts that.
 
Location
Loch side.
Don't add grease to the inside! The little pawls are meant to move freely and are only pushed by tiny springs. Any resistance may mean get stuck. When you stop pedalling the last thing you want is your cassette to keep spinning throwing your chain into your rear wheel.

What is the noise you are having problems with. I've had several mavic wheels that have started screaming when freewheeling. Replacement plastic sleeve thing sorts that.
I don't think you've then ever opened and examined a Campag freehub?
At the high end (Record) it is even designed with a grease port so you never have to open the hub. When you inject grease, the old grease comes out the side. On the rear hub on the right, the old grease injects directly into the freehub mechanism and makes it go quiet. If you then want the noise back, you have to disassemble the freehub. No-one does it. Mine has some 200 000 kms on it with grease in the freehub and it never misses a beat. The springs still do their job it is just that the pawls don't tap against the ratchet with as much force and noise as before.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
It's probably got louder because the oil has worked it's way out and it needs a re-lube. My Mavic free hub was noisy until I stripped it and lubed it with car engine oil, which does a good job of keeping it quiet and taking out a little play. It's so easy to strip these that do mine every six months in the hope of staving off the dreaded Mavic free hub howl.
 

boydj

Legendary Member
Location
Paisley
I find my Hope hubs remove the need for a bell for the pedestrians on the cycle path. A short back-pedal is a very effective announcement of my presence.
 
OP
OP
Tin Pot

Tin Pot

Guru
I find my Hope hubs remove the need for a bell for the pedestrians on the cycle path. A short back-pedal is a very effective announcement of my presence.

I have never felt the need for a bell to declare my presence.

...
 
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